BJP launches poll campaign in Haryana, Amit Shah hits out at Congress

Mahendergarh: The BJP on Thursday launched its campaign for the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana with its chief Amit Shah hitting out at Congress and also warning ally--the Kuldeep Bishnoi-headed HJM--that their alliance cannot be taken for granted.

Addressing his first major public rally on the occasion of flagging off the Vijay Sankalp Yatra from here after taking over as BJP President, he slammed the Congress for seeking explanations on progress made by the two-month-old Narendra Modi government and said it should first give an account of its 60 years of "misrule".

Shah, who reached the venue of the rally at Anaj Mandi here nearly three hours behind schedule, lashed out at the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government over alleged scams and for pushing the state "backwards".

The leader of the BJP, which is eyeing to wrest power from Congress, which has ruled the State for ten years in a row, also attacked the main opposition INLD, saying people had tried the Hoodas and the Chautalas and that now was the time to give a chance to BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s leadership.

Seeking a clear mandate for the BJP, he sounded a warning for Haryana Janhit Manch (HJM) to fall in line and not to remain adamant on fighting 45 seats after its drubbing in the LS polls, saying the BJP has to keep in mind the people`s aspirations in the changed scenario.

He said though BJP was committed to alliance with HJC, but at the same time made it clear that his party was ready to go "solo" and fight all the 90 assembly seats if the junior partner remains adamant on old terms and conditions.
"We respect the alliance Dharma but even they (HJM) should understand the sentiments of people or we will go alone. The arrangement (seat sharing) will be based on the Lok Sabha performance.
"Who will get what is not important. It is the sentiments of people of Haryana which are important. BJP is ready to go alone and has the confidence of securing a majority," Shah said. The BJP won seven out of the total eight seats during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.